Seed-planter.



UNITED ySTATES Patented May 26, 1903.

.PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERrUs vB. KEPNER, or 'BETHANR NEBRASKA.

SEEDfPLANTER. i

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,354, dated May 26, 1903. Application filedl December 17,1902.` Serial No. 135,553. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, it' may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ALBERTUS B. KEPNER, a

Nebraska, have invented new and useful-Imp provements in Seed-Planters, of which the following is a specification. Y

My invention relates to new and' useful improvements in seed-planters; and it relates more particularly to the seed-dropping mech-v anism; and its object is to provide a device,

of novel construction adapted to be operated from the traction-wheel of the planter through a friction-pulley.

Another object is to pivotally mount the seed-hopper and the dropping mechanism upon the frame of the planter, whereby the same may be swung upward out of operative position. i A further object is to employ means for holding the friction-pulley in operative relation with the traction-wheel when it is desired to drop the seed from the hopper.

With the above and other objects in view` the invention consistsin the novel construction and combination of -parts hereinafterl more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,'show ing the preferred form of my invention, and

in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a planter,

showing my improved seed-dropping mechanism in operative position thereon. a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation showing in dotted lines the position to which the hopper may be moved if desired. Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section through the hopper and its seed-dropping mechanism;

and Fig. 5 is a section on the line fr, Fig. 4.

Referring tothe fguresby numerals of reference, 1 designates the crank-axle of a planter, from which is suspended a plow 2f. This planter is of any desired construction, and to the frame thereof is hinged the bottom of a hopper 2. An arm 3 extends laterally from this hopper, and a shaft 4 is journaled therein and is provided at its outer end with a pulley 5, adapted to normally bear upon one of the traction-wheels` 6 of the planter. The arm 3 normally rests between ears 7, extending upward from a casting 8, secured to the frame of the planter, and

Fig.A 2 is `strain upon the hinge 9 of the hopper.

'A ring 10, having beveled teeth thereon iits snugly and is revoluble within the hopper 2 at the bottom thereof, and this ring is` keyed to a disk 11having a series of apertures 12 arranged adjacent to the periphery thereof and at desired distances apart. The teeth upon the ring 10 are adapted to mesh with a'beveled gear 13, secured to the end of shaft 4 which extends under the hopper.. It will thus be seen that when the shaft is revolved the disk 11 is caused to rotate upon its central pivot 14, and the apertures 12 are caused to successively register with an out.

Vlet 15 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5) and 'i formed within the bottom of the hopper at the side thereof. This outlet normally lies at a point directly above the end of a seed drill or tube 16, and it is obvious that all seed dropping `therethrough will pas's into the drill and be deposited at the proper point.

A rod 17 is slidably mounted within crossbar 3' of arm 3, and is provided at its lower end withV a hook 18, adapted to engage a lug'k 18a, extending backward from the axle 1. The

upper portion of rod 17 is screw-threaded, as

shown at 21, and a nut 22 is arranged thereon and bears upon the coiled .spring 23, interposed between said nut and the top of crossj bar 3C This spring serves to force the arm 3 downward when the hook 18 is in engagement withthe axle of the planter, and the frictionpulley 5 is thus pressed firmly against the periphery of the traction-wheel 6 and is adapted to be revolved thereby. A nut 24 is also arranged on rod ,17 at a point below the crossbar-3 and-is adapted to bear upon the lower surface of said cross-bar.

It is believed that the operation of the seeddropping mechanism will be fully understood from the foregoing description. As the wheel 6 revolves rotary motion is imparted tothe pulley 5, and as the shaft 4 and` itsbeveled gear 13 are turned the toothed ring 10 revolves within the hopper and carries disk 11 therewith. rlhe seed within the hopper is collected in the apertures 12, and as these are brought successively into position above the outlet 15 they will drop therethrough into the tube 16. When the plow is raised by turning axle 1 by means of a lever 25, the lug IOO 1Srt upon said axle will force rod 17 upward, and the nut 24 will be brought into contact with the cross-bar 3 of arm 3 and raise the pulley 5 out of contact with the tractionwheel. IVhen it is desired to raise the hopper and its arm 3 for the purpose of oiling, repairing, or cleaning the parts, it is merely necessary to remove the hooked end 18 of rod 17 from the lug 1S and swing the hopper upward upon its hinge.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of my invention; but I do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In a planter the combination with a crank-axle having a plow connected thereto and traction-wheels thereon, and means for revolving said axle independently of the wheels; of a frame mounted upon the axle, a hopper thereon having an outlet dropping mechanism, a rotary shaft for operating said mechanism, a pulley upon the shaft normally engaging with the traction-wheel on the axle, and raising and lowering means connected to the shaft and axle.

3. In a planter the combination with a crank-axle having traction-wheels thereon, a plow suspended from said axle, and means for turning the axle independently of the wheels; of a frame mounted upon the axle, a hopper hinged upon the frame, an arm to the hopper, a dropping mechanism within the hopper, a shaft journaled upon the arm and adapted when rotated to operate said mechanism, a pulley upon the shaft normally engaging with one of the traction-wheels, and raising and lowering means connecting the arm and axle.

In a planter the combination with a crank-axle having traction-wheels thereon, a plow suspended from said axle, and means for turning the axle independently of the wheels; of a frame upon the axle, a hopper hinged lto the frame, an arm extending laterally from the hopper, dropping mechanism in the hopper, a shaft journaled upon the arm and adapted when rotated to operate said dropping mechanism, a pulley upon the shaft normally engaging with one of the traction-wheels, a lug upon the axle, a rod connecting the arm and lug.

1. In a planter the combination with a crank-axle having traction-Wheels mounted thereon, a plow suspended from said axle, means for turning the axle independently of the wheels, and a lug upon the axle; of a frame mounted upon said axle, a hopper hinged thereto, dropping mechanism within the hopper, an arm extending laterally from the hopper, a shaft journaled thereon and adapted when rotated-to operate the dropping mechanism, a pulley upon the shaft normally engaging with one of the traction-wheels, and a hooked rod in the arm detachably secured to the lug on the axle, means for limiting the movement of the rod within the arm, and a spring upon the rod.

5. In a planter, the combination with a crank and axle having traction-wheels thereon, a plow suspended from said axle and means for turning the axle independently of the Wheels, of a frame mounted upon the axle, a hopper thereon havin g an outlet, dropping mechanism within the hopper, and a spring-pressed pulley connected to said mechanism and normally bearing upon a tractionwheel.

6. The combination with a planter having traction-wheels, a hopper and an outlet from said hopper, of a rotary disk within the hopper having an aperture adapted to register with the outlet, a toothed ring connected to the disk, a spring-pressed rotary shaft, a gear at one end thereof meshing with the ring, and a friction-pulley at the other end of the shaft normally bearing upon awheel of the planter.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ALBERTUS B. KEPNER. lVitnesses:

GUS A. HYERS, H. K.` FRANTZ. 

